The psychodynamic psychotherapy of a male transvestite : a case study

• Main Author: Jacobs, H Sean
• Other Authors: Dawes, Andrew
• Format: Dissertation
• Language: English
• Published: University of Cape Town 2015
• Subjects: Transvestism - Case studies; Psychotherapy - Case studies; Clinical Psychology
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/14321

Includes bibliography. === The present study provides a description of selected core psychodynamic issues pertinent to a male transvestite patient. Case material from an ongoing 11 month psychodynamically-oriented psychotherapy is used for illustrative purposes. The theoretical roles of the 'core complex', castration anxiety; aggression and a particular ego style are thematically outlined and illustrated by a discussion of the therapeutic process. An attempt is made to demonstrate an increased capacity for depression, increased object-relatedness and disidentification from a symbiotically related female introject as the aim and partial gain of the therapy. The transference, case management difficulties and the therapeutic process of what has occurred as well as what is likely to, are considered. The unexpected outcome, in that the patient has ceased to fetishistically cross-dress, given the short space of therapeutic time is discussed. It is concluded that this be viewed tentatively. Finally, some thoughts are raised as to the utility of the psychoanalytic approach as against the general psychiatric-diagnostic approach.